World Liberty Financial (WLFI)

World Liberty Financial (WLFI) is a decentralized finance (DeFi) protocol launched in September 2024. The project is designed to strengthen the position of the U.S. dollar in the global digital financial system through the integration of traditional finance (TradFi) mechanisms with blockchain technology.

The initiative was publicly presented with the participation of members of the Trump family. Donald Trump is positioned as the “chief crypto advocate”, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. serve as ambassadors for Web3, and Barron Trump is presented as the visionary in the field of decentralized finance. The project focuses on creating infrastructure for dollar-backed digital assets, lending, borrowing and decentralized governance in a regulatory-compliant environment.

Core Components

WLFI Governance Token

• Function: governance token of the protocol
• Total supply: 100 billion tokens
• Circulating supply (as of January 2026): ≈ 27 billion tokens
• Initial status: non-transferable
• Current status: tradable on centralized exchanges
• Functions: on-chain voting on protocol parameters, addition of collateral types, incentive programs, treasury management, revenue distribution, buybacks

USD1 Stablecoin

• Type: fiat-collateralized stablecoin
• Peg: 1:1 to the U.S. dollar
• Collateral: U.S. dollars, short-term U.S. Treasuries, cash equivalents
• Supported blockchains: Ethereum, Solana, BNB Chain, TRON, Aptos and others
• Use cases: payments, settlements, treasury management, collateral in DeFi protocols
• Circulation (within first year): > $3.3–3.4 billion

Main Products and Infrastructure

World Liberty Markets

DeFi lending and borrowing platform launched in January 2026.

• Technical base: Dolomite protocol
• Supported assets at launch:
  • USD1 (primary collateral)
  • WLFI
  • ETH
  • cbBTC
  • USDC
  • USDT
• Functionality: supply assets to earn yield / borrow against deposited collateral

Planned Features

• RWA Suite — tokenization of real-world assets (commodities, debt instruments, etc.)
• Mobile application
• Debit card integration
• Wallet solutions for everyday payments

Regulatory Status

In January 2026, a subsidiary of the project (World Liberty Trust Company) submitted an application for a national trust bank charter to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC).

Planned activities of the bank (if approved):

• Issuance, custody, redemption and conversion of USD1 stablecoin
• Provision of related digital asset services under federal banking supervision

Market Position (January 2026)

• WLFI token price range: $0.17–0.19 USD
• Market capitalization: $4.8–5.0 billion USD
• Ranking: top 30–40 cryptocurrencies by market cap
• Listed on: Binance, Robinhood, Kraken and other major centralized exchanges

The WLFI token has a fixed total and maximum supply of 100 billion tokens. It functions primarily as a governance token with no direct economic rights (such as revenue sharing or dividends) attached to it. The token was initially non-transferable, but a portion became tradable following community governance decisions.

Key Token Details

• Total Supply / Max Supply: 100,000,000,000 WLFI
• Circulating Supply (as of January 2026): approximately 27 billion WLFI (varies slightly across sources; ~26.7–27.2 billion reported)
• Token Type: ERC-20 on Ethereum Mainnet, with multichain support via bridges
• Initial Status: Non-transferable (locked indefinitely unless unlocked via governance)
• Current Status: Partially tradable on major centralized exchanges following governance unlocks

Allocation Breakdown

According to project disclosures, the "Golden Paper", and public reports, the initial allocation of WLFI tokens includes the following major categories (percentages approximate and subject to minor variations across sources):

• Token Sale / Public Sale: ~20–35% (significant portion sold to eligible participants through KYC-compliant sales)
• Community Growth and Incentives: ~10–32.5% (reserved for ecosystem rewards, user engagement, and growth initiatives)
• Co-Founder / Initial Supporter Allocation: ~30% (allocated to founding entities, including affiliates of the Trump family and partners)
• Team and Advisors: ~2.5–3.5% (for core contributors, advisors, and service providers)
• Treasury / Other Reserves: ~20% (for protocol operations, future incentives, and development)

The Trump family and affiliates (via entities like DT Marks DEFI LLC) hold a substantial portion of tokens (~22.5–25 billion WLFI, or roughly 22.5–25% of total supply), with associated revenue rights from protocol activities. Voting power is capped at 5% per wallet in some governance contexts to promote decentralization.

Economic Model and Utility

• Governance Utility: WLFI enables on-chain and off-chain voting on protocol upgrades, collateral additions, incentive programs, treasury management, partnerships, and revenue allocation decisions.
• No Direct Economic Rights: Holders do not receive protocol fees, dividends, or revenue shares directly from holding WLFI (revenue allocation is subject to governance but primarily benefits operational entities).
• Mechanisms: Includes potential buybacks, burns, and vesting schedules for certain allocations to control inflation and align incentives. Protocol revenue (from fees on lending, stablecoin operations, etc.) is partially directed to treasury and governance-controlled uses.

This structure emphasizes long-term ecosystem sustainability through capped supply, community-driven decisions, and incentives for participation, while maintaining regulatory compliance considerations.

The following is a chronological overview of key events in the development and launch of World Liberty Financial (WLFI), based on public announcements, token sales, product launches, and regulatory actions.

• September 2024: Donald Trump announces that his sons will enter the cryptocurrency market with a new venture called World Liberty Financial. The project is publicly introduced as a DeFi platform.
• October 2024: World Liberty Financial launches its first token sale initiative for the WLFI governance token. Initial sales are slow, raising approximately $2.7 million by the end of the month. Sales accelerate significantly following the 2024 U.S. presidential election results.
• Late 2024 – Early 2025: Multiple token sale rounds occur, including a public sale restricted to accredited investors under SEC rules. The project raises over $550 million from more than 85,000 participants across various rounds (e.g., tokens sold at $0.015 and $0.05 per token).
• March 2025: Launch of USD1, the project's dollar-pegged stablecoin, backed by U.S. Treasuries, dollars, and cash equivalents. USD1 becomes available on multiple blockchains, including Ethereum, Solana, BNB Chain, TRON, and Aptos.
• July 2025: Governance proposal passes to make WLFI tokens tradable and transferable on secondary markets (previously non-transferable).
• September 1, 2025: WLFI governance token becomes publicly tradable on major centralized exchanges and DEXs. Initial unlock of 20% for presale participants occurs, with remaining portions subject to further governance votes.
• September 19, 2025: Community governance proposal passes (99.8% approval) to implement a token buyback and burn mechanism using treasury liquidity fees.
• December 2025: Co-founder Zach Witkoff announces plans to launch tokenized real-world asset (RWA) products starting in January 2026.
• January 7, 2026: Subsidiary World Liberty Trust Company submits a de novo application to the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) for a national trust bank charter to handle issuance, custody, redemption, and conversion of USD1 stablecoin.
• January 12–13, 2026: Launch of World Liberty Markets, a DeFi lending and borrowing platform built on Dolomite infrastructure, supporting assets including USD1, WLFI, ETH, cbBTC, USDC, and USDT.

The project continues to evolve with planned expansions into mobile applications, debit card integrations, wallet solutions, and further RWA tokenization throughout 2026.

World Liberty Financial operates a governance system centered around the WLFI token, allowing holders to participate in decision-making for the protocol. The system emphasizes community involvement while maintaining compliance considerations.

Key Features

• WLFI Token Role: Each WLFI token represents one vote in community proposals. Voting power is capped at 5% per wallet to promote decentralization and prevent concentration of control.
• Process:
  • Propose: Any WLFI holder can submit proposals via the governance forum or platform for protocol upgrades, collateral additions, incentive programs, treasury management, partnerships, or revenue allocation.
  • Review: Proposals enter a discussion and feedback stage where token holders review, comment, and refine ideas before voting.
  • Vote: On-chain or off-chain voting (via Snapshot or similar tools) occurs, with results implemented through multisig wallets or protocol updates.
• Historical Decisions: Examples include votes to make WLFI tokens tradable (July 2025), implement buyback-and-burn programs (September 2025), and other ecosystem expansions.
• Limitations: WLFI provides governance rights only; it does not confer direct economic rights (e.g., revenue shares, dividends). The project is not structured as a full DAO, with certain operational controls retained by the founding entities.

The governance platform encourages active participation from token holders to shape the protocol's direction, upgrades, and strategic initiatives.

World Liberty Financial was founded in 2024 by a group including technical developers, business partners, and affiliates of the Trump family. The project is operated by World Liberty Financial, Inc., a Delaware non-stock corporation, with oversight from WLF Holdco LLC.

Key Founders and Roles

• Donald J. Trump: Co-Founder Emeritus; formerly titled "chief crypto advocate".
• Eric Trump: Co-Founder; formerly "Web3 ambassador"; actively involved in management and promotion.
• Donald Trump Jr.: Co-Founder; formerly "Web3 ambassador"; actively involved in management and promotion.
• Barron Trump: Co-Founder; listed as "DeFi visionary".
• Zach Witkoff: Co-Founder; President and Chairman of World Liberty Trust Company (subsidiary applying for banking charter); son of Steve Witkoff (longtime Trump associate and co-founder emeritus).
• Alex Witkoff: Co-Founder.
• Chase Herro: Co-Founder; technical developer (previously associated with Dough Finance).
• Zachary Folkman: Co-Founder; technical developer (previously associated with Dough Finance).
• Steve Witkoff: Co-Founder Emeritus; longtime Trump associate.

Daily operations are managed by the founding partners (primarily Folkman, Herro, and Zach Witkoff), while the Trump family provides strategic and promotional support. DT Marks DEFI LLC (affiliated with Donald J. Trump and family members) holds significant equity in WLF Holdco LLC (approximately 38–60% depending on sources) and rights to a portion of protocol revenues.

The project also lists various advisors from blockchain, venture capital, and legal fields, though specific current names are not always publicly detailed.